Elemental Magic by unknow

Author:unknow
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group
Published: 2007-11-06T00:00:00+00:00

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Two and a half hours of walking brought them to the outskirts of the capital. Like Ijesh, it was first a view of caravans coming and going, then of rough-hewn openings in the canyon walls, then of water in aqueducts and greenery in planters, of carvings and banners and people all over. There was more in the way of stone buildings, since the valleys around the Imperial Hall were broader than those around the Mother Temple. Unlike Ijesh, the people here seemed to be expecting them, for the pedestrians and riders immediately moved out of their way, clearing a path. That path soon became a corridor as citizens young and old began to line either side of the way to the palace.

Two and a half hours of walking had also brought some equanimity into Arasa’s mind about what she had done. If she hadn’t carried it through, her father would have been forced to do it; the law was the law, and no one was above it, not even the Emperor himself. If he had done that for her, she would have had to rely on others to carry out such orders in the future. No, better for her to shoulder the responsibility herself; if she didn’t, it would be perceived as a weakness, a bad thing to see in a ruler of such a huge nation.

The law could be changed . . . but those men would have just tried again, had she left them to live. The Truth Stone results were the proof of that. Hopefully their deaths, though gruesome, would serve to discourage others from trying again. She really didn’t want anyone trying to attack her again.

Some of the people had flowers in their hands. Arasa came out of her thoughts with a blink of surprise when she saw someone tossing some of the blossoms onto the path a few yards in front of her. They weren’t the only ones; more flowers had been cast down on the road ahead. She slowed in surprise, and more were added. There was only one reason for this display: someone from the palace must have spread the word that one of the twins would be selected as the true heir by the time they reached the palace. She knew it had been a source of concern for the Empire, but this much a concern, that they would seek to line her entrance as the heir with a carpet of flowers?

A cushion of cut flowers. Cut, and thus dying or dead. Not still living, not still growing. Not still part of the land. Something about that stopped her just before she reached the point where she would have to walk more on the flowers than on the age-worn paving stones under her feet. It didn’t feel right, separating her skin from the Land before she had completed her pilgrimage.

Elrik glanced down at her, curious to know why she had stopped. Shaking herself mentally, Arasa gave the Land an order. The flowers and leaves rippled, parting in front of her.

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